Then You Look At Me
by Lady-Delphinea
Summary: Sequel to Pointless Relationship, In Love Again. Three years have gone by when Hermione has a chance run in with Draco. What's changed? Will they realise that something from the past told them they would be together no matter what?


**A/N: So this is the third part of the one shots. A long time coming I know! Read Pointless Relationship and In Love Again if you haven't. Help you understand.**

**DISCLAIMER: Not mine.**

_**Then You Look At Me**_

"Dammit!" cried Hermione Granger, 26 as she dashed down Diagon Alley trying to avoid the ankle deep puddles as the rain lashed down on the August summer day.

She ran into the nearest store, Flourish and Blott's and gave a cold shudder. She gave a groan at her wet paper work from St Mungo's and opened the folder to see the smudged writing. She had spent all of last night working on the report and now it was ruined. Once again her night would be spent rewriting it and handing it in a day late. Hermione shut the folder roughly and pulled her wand out murmuring a spell to dry her clothes of instantly, along with her shoulder length hair.

"Bucketing down out there isn't it?"

Hermione looked up at the shop assistant and nodded, "Yeah. You don't mind me hanging around do you? I know I could apperate home but I have a lot to do here and I don't fancy apperating store to store."

"Fine by me Miss."

Hermione smiled and headed to nearby bookstands with a range of textbooks devoted to Potion making. She selected one devoted to healing potions and flipped through it, a slight frown on her forehead as she went. As she turned the page the sound of the store door bursting open startled her slightly. She glanced over her shoulder but only saw the door shutting, blocking out the sound of the pounding rain. Turning back to the book she froze at the sound of a familiar voice.

"Bloody weather. Trust it to rain today of all days!"

"Ah yes. Another lady in here has had her shopping trip interrupted by it."

Hermione kept looking at the book keeping her ears alert for any more talk.

"Didn't you get a new range of Potion making books recently?"

"Oh yes, right this way!"

Hermione slammed the book shut and headed to the nearby staircase racing up there where Muggle novels were all kept. She kept her eyes ahead of her trying to look as calm as possible as she neared the top. The voices slowly died out from the distance and Hermione leant against a row of books closing her eyes to try and calm her racing heart. Brilliant. Trust her to wind up in the same store as _him_. She had tried so hard to let go of the past and move on since the last time she had seen him a mere three years ago. Three years!

The night she had ran away from him at the Hogwarts gate she wound up crying in Harry's arms. Then being out of her mind she had kissed Harry! Things for them had been awkward for about three months afterwards before he started dating Ginny. Ron was in an intense relationship with Lavender Brown leaving Hermione single and all because she couldn't work past her first love, her only love.

Hermione walked slowly to the rail and looked down seeing his blonde head weaving around the bookstand picking up random books.

She let out a deep breath and looked at the window. Yes! The rain had died down somewhat! She could run to Madam Malkin's and organise more work robes. Hermione headed to the staircase then paused. What if he saw her? The bookstand he was at was right in front of the staircase. Hermione looked over at the opposite one but saw it was blocked off by a stack of books. She cursed silently at herself for being so ridiculous.

Honestly! She was a grown woman and shouldn't be hiding away from him of all people! With a firm nod she headed down the staircase keeping her head held high.

Then he looked at her.

Hermione froze and looked at him in surprise, not fake surprise, but real. Her hand gripped the railing tightly as he slowly closed the book looking at her.

"Shit," whispered Hermione softly, shaking her head, and letting out a deep breath before continuing on her way down.

"Hermione," he said when she stepped down the last step, "It's… err… been a long time."

"Three years," nodded Hermione groaning slightly when she saw the rain was torrential once again.

"So," he said as they stood silently for a few moments, "Is that a work case?"

Hermione glanced at her ruined folder, "It was. I have to rewrite everything again. The rain ruined it completely and no spell will fix it."

"Oh. That sucks."

Hermione nodded, "So… so how have you been?"

"Oh alright. You know, work… holidays now, obviously."

Hermione nodded, "Yeah. I know. A lot more sick school aged people at the hospital these days."

"Oh, right. None Slytherin's right?"

Hermione shrugged, "I wouldn't know. Not a question I generally ask these days."

Hermione glanced at Draco and saw he was slightly taken aback at the answer. Hermione turned and headed away from him to a book with things on magical history. She flipped through one silently before glancing up and seeing Draco beside her.

"How's Emily these days?"

"I wouldn't know."

"Oh," Hermione was dying to ask why not but knew it wasn't her place to say anything to him about it. She was the ex-girlfriend who had supposedly gone on with her life without him.

"We tried making a go of it… just didn't work."

Hermione nodded and selected another book glancing at the window in a hope the rain had vanished. She would do anything to leave the store and get away from Draco.

"I know why it didn't work out either," he continued forcefully.

Hermione nodded once more and looked out the window, silently praising the people up above. The rain had gone.

"It was great seeing you again," said Hermione quickly, "But I have to get a move on."

Hermione ran out of the store thanking the store assistant. She ran into the robe shop and shut the door behind her, leaning against it trying to catch her breath. He still had the breathless affect on her just like all those years before.

**--**

"There we are love," said Madam Malkin, "Perfect fit!"

"Thanks," smiled Hermione almost an hour later.

She headed to the door and pulled it open checking her list of items needed. Owl biscuits, some potion ingredients, and a few groceries. Hermione headed to the animal store, smiling at a few people she recognised. She had reached the store and was pulling the door open when a hand slammed against it stopping her from entering. She looked up in alarm at the grey eyes looking at her desperately.

"You! You were the damn reason! I had moved on, put you behind me and then you had to talk to me three years ago, didn't you?" said Draco angrily.

"You told me you didn't love me," replied Hermione bitingly, "I merely told you how I was feeling and I accepted you had moved on!"

Draco stepped back glaring at her, "What is it with you?"

"What?" snapped Hermione.

"I can see it in your eyes you love me… yet here you are running off on me!"

"I have spent three years… no SEVEN years trying to move on! Do you expect me to throw my arms around you and kiss you like there is no tomorrow?"

People were watching them curiously as they walked past. Hermione half hoped Harry would suddenly appear and get her away before she did something stupid. In front of her Draco crossed his arms, one eyebrow raised. Hermione knew that look.

"Potter not here to save you, huh? From what Hermione?"

Hermione shot Draco a glare and swung the store door open and walked in saying coldly, "You!"

She walked in with him following silently of course. He wasn't going to let her get away again and she knew it.

"Owl biscuits please," said Hermione to the owner tensely.

"How is Daisy?" asked the storeowner who had sold Hermione her tawny owl to her two years ago.

"Brilliant health. Thanks."

Hermione paid the woman and walked out with Draco hot on her heels. Annoyed Hermione whirled around to face him, her face flushed with anger.

"Leave me alone!"

"No. We need to talk and you know it!"

"We talked in the book shop and we are talking again. There, we've talked," said Hermione furiously as she turned away.

Draco grabbed her by the arm and pulled her back, "Tell me you don't love me enough to be with me."

Hermione opened her mouth out of surprise and found she couldn't answer him. Whenever she looked at him her feeling of being lost vanished. He _was_ all she wanted and knew it. But how could she run back to him so willingly after trying to forgot him for seven damn years? Three years ago he told her he had moved on from her and was interested in some Emily Carpenter! Yet here he was, looking at her with a mingle of anger and longing.

Hermione yanked her arm from him and stepped back, "Stop being ridiculous. It would never work."

She turned and headed into the Potions store ordering a refill of six ingredients. This time she noticed Draco didn't follow. No there he was, still standing in the alley looking down at the ground. Hermione's heart skipped a beat as he brushed his locks from his face like he always did.

"C-can you just hold those for me?" said Hermione to the assistant before running out of the shop.

Draco looked up at her with his clear grey eyes, silently wondering what Hermione could possibly have to say now.

"Why now?" asked Hermione bluntly, "Why not when you realised you still loved me?"

"I couldn't find you. I went to St Mungo's over and over and they wouldn't tell me where about you worked there."

"Spell Damage," answered Hermione simply.

"I ran into Potter and asked him and he told me you were moving on and that it would be wrong of me to come and stir everything up again. So I listened to him… and then as fate would have it I found you today. In a bookshop. The same bookshop I always went to in hopes of finding you amongst the rows silently reading."

Hermione half smiled, "Fate can be annoying."

"You're not pleased to see me?"

Hermione looked at him and gave a chuckle, "I dream of running into you every night. Its just the real thing is a lot harder to take in."

"I guess so… you haven't changed much."

Hermione laughed, "Believe me I have. I am a neat freak."

"No, you always were in your own way."

"Well I never leave hair bands hanging on the taps anymore and my makeup is always put away," sighed Hermione, "But what about you? What's changed?"

"Well I am a lot more organised… but nothing else has changed."

"Err Miss? Your things?"

Hermione turned to the assistant as he held up a bag of supplies. Hermione fished out two galleons, five sickles, and 2 knuts to pay for the things and turned back to Draco. She glanced at her watch and saw she would be late for her shift. Her groceries would have to wait, but she didn't want to leave Draco.

"I'll get fired if I stay," said Hermione quietly.

"Then get fired."

Hermione raised her eyebrows in alarm, "What? No I couldn't! That's my job!"

"Hogwarts needs a Healer. Pomfrey retired."

Hermione looked at Draco uncertainly as he stepped closer, "Draco-"

But instantly she was silenced with his lips connecting with hers. Hermione heard her belongings drop to the ground and she responded back with seven years of pent up emotions. He drew her closer all thoughts flying from her mind as she slid her hands down his arms that held her so closely to his body.

"D-Draco," gasped Hermione pulling away seeing his eyes dancing with lust, "W-we really need to think this out."

Hermione stepped away and picked her things up glad the phials had an unbreakable charm on them.

"Then meet me at the Hogwarts gate," said Draco, "We can talk and then if you want to, we will see McGonagall about the job. Please Hermione. Give us a chance."

"My job," sighed Hermione frustrated. What came first? Love or a living?

"Write in sick. Just meet me there in an hour. Please."

Draco vanished without giving her a chance to argue. Hermione sighed and left with a crack.

**--**

"Are you insane?" cried Harry who had arrived home from work and gone for a jog, surprised to see Hermione still home.

"I'm sorry. But please Harry," sighed Hermione yanking on her white slip on shoes, "I need to be happy."

"But you are!"

"No I'm not! You know damn well I'm not!" snapped Hermione angrily, "I want to be loved, and Draco loves me. Besides we are older and a job at Hogwarts… what would you give you return there?"

Harry sighed seeing Hermione's point, "I just don't want to see you get hurt, Mione. You're sister to me, you know that."

Hermione smiled and pecked Harry on the cheek, "I know. So, how do I look?"

"Beautiful."

Hermione smiled. She was dressed in dressy dark blue jeans, and a baby doll pink top. With a grin at Harry she left with a crack, looking up at the school gates.

"I was starting to think you wouldn't show."

Hermione turned to Draco and gave a soft smile, "I was contemplating it."

"Potter was."

"Alright, fine. Harry was just trying to protect me."

Draco sighed and held out his hand. Hermione looked at it and slowly stepped closer, interlacing their fingers as they walked into the empty school grounds. They headed towards the lake and memories of their first kiss swirled through Hermione's mind.

_Someone poked her in the ribs startling her like crazy. Hermione spun around ready to snap but clamed when she saw Draco's smiling face. He had damp hair from his shower but looked relaxed like he always did after Quidditch training._

"_So, do you think Slytherin will beat Gryffindor?" asked Hermione nudging him playfully._

"_I reckon we will," he replied sitting down beside her scooping up some pebbles and tossing them into the water._

"_Honestly, I am surprised the Squid doesn't eat anyone for constantly tossing rocks at its head."_

"_He enjoys it."_

_Hermione smiled, "Says the main culprit."_

_Draco chuckled and sighed, "Hermione… do you think this… this thing between us is special?"_

"_Define special."_

"_Like its something we will never have with anyone else. That no matter what we will always be drawn back together?"_

_Hermione looked at him thoughtfully. Slowly she smiled and nodded, "Yeah. I think so."_

_Draco leaned in closer and Hermione felt her stomach flip as he planted one, sweet kiss on her lips._

"I told you didn't I?" said Draco quietly looking at Hermione, "No matter what, we will always be drawn back together."

Hermione smiled at the innocent memory and nodded to Draco, "You did and I guess you were right."

They stopped at the section of the lake where the kiss had taken place and Draco knelt down grabbing pebbles and tossing them into the lake one by one.

"I don't think I ever really let you go," said Draco quietly, "I made myself believe it… but really, you were always in my thoughts one way or another and this place just swims with memories of you. To this day the ghosts and paintings ask me about you."

Hermione looked over her shoulder at the looming castle and smiled, "Really?"

"Yeah and Twiddles misses you still."

Hermione gave a sigh at the mention of Draco's house elf, "I miss him too."

"What do you think?"

Hermione raised an eyebrow, "Elaborate please?"

"Us, you and me, together, again?"

Hermione looked at Draco's eyes taking in the swimming emotions. How could she possibly say no? He was what she had needed for the seven long years. No, she didn't regret leaving him before. She knew if she hadn't both would still be stuck a rut. Her leaving him had been the wake up call both desperately needed. And now here they were, drawn back together just like Draco said they would be.

"Well I think us, you and me, together, again is something I can go for," said Hermione stepping closer taking hold of his hands, "The job is real right?"

"Yes. I want you with me always," murmured Draco.

Hermione nodded grinning, "Just as long as I'm not called Madam Granger. Hermione suits me fine."

"Done."

"But you have no authority."

"So? Though I do think Madam Granger sounds rather… raunchy you know?"

Hermione slapped Draco on the shoulder hard with a laugh, "Mind above the waist Draco!"

Draco chuckled before stealing a kiss. Hermione pulled back and gave a sigh looking at him with a smile.

"I love you," she whispered.

"I love you too."

**THE END**

**A/N: Soppy ending, I know! But they finally got their happy ending! Review!**

**Until next time!**

**Love yas!**

**Love Coz!**


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